Things You Should Watch on Netflix this Weekend

by thethreepennyguignol

In world news today: Ireland apparently votes yes on gay marriage, bigots everywhere prepare for the apocalypse, and there’s a campaign to put Ainsley Harriot on a banknote.

You may have noticed that the blog schedule I came up with a couple of months ago has got spectacularly tits up, because I can do anything with glee (no, not that kind, don’t even click there) and passion provided I think I don’t have to do it. All I can say is that the Fifty Shades recaps will be up in the first couple of days in every week, and whatever else happens will happen. Shhh. Don’t fight it. *holds finger to your lips*

There were a bunch of things I was planning to write about today (most particularly Rape of Thrones, and how using rape as a major plot point for your female characters over and over is lazy as fuck), but instead I just want to share some of my picks of Netflix, something for you to binge-watch over this weekend. I’m probably going to start doing a recomendation list once every couple of weeks, because I watch a shit-ton of TV and movies that I never review for whatever reason but that I want to share with people, so if you like this, there will be more (if you don’t, bugger off to some other blog then, you- no, wait, come back, don’t leave, I need the clicks!) Where I am, it’s two in the afternoon, so you should have plenty of time to sear every frame of a show into your eyeballs. I’ll hear no excuses.

If you want…comedy

Frankie & Grace I’m not sure why this has received such a lukewarm response from critics, as it’s a beautifully crafted, funny-but-what’s-this-lump-in-my-throat-doing comedy with a belter of a cast (Sam Worthington, Martin Sheen, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda). Following the story of two very different women who are thrown together after their husbands leave them for each other, it’s warm-hearted and elegantly made, a very grown-up dramedy with some real emotional punch (mostly thanks to the sublimely well-drawn relationships between the lead four). At thirteen episodes, it’s perfect for a weekend binge-watch. Now is also the time to introduce yourself to Fawlty Towers and Father Ted, if you haven’t done so already, because WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE YOU WASTE OF SPACE.

If you want…sci-fi

Utopia There are a bunch of obvious choices on Netflix- Battlestar Galactica, off the top of my head- but the understated and very weird E4 drama is perfect to plow through over the course of a couple of days. Following the story of a bunch of normals who become caught up in the story behind a mysterious comic book, it’s violent, shocking, and has a couple of really impressive performances to boot-Fiona O’Shaughnessy as the not-quite-human Jessica Hyde is a real standout. If you prefer something more episodic, check out Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, a handful of very dark, borderline satirical standalone sci-fi stories revolving around technology.

If you want…drama

There are loads of good places to start here, with everything from American Horror Story to Breaking Bad, but my money would have to go on The Good Wife. It’s always been slightly overlooked, but has scooped no less than five Emmys as well as a clutch of Golden Globes. Julianna Marguilles plays Alicia Florrick, a litigator who has to return to work after her husband (Chris Noth- yes, that Chris Noth) is jailed after a corruption and sex scandal. It’s a slow-burner, the sort of thing that bubbles away at the back of your mind until you can get to the next episode, and really I just need someone to talk to about it. Please? For me? Film-wise, shoot for the fantastically sleazy, very underrated The Paperboy.

If you want…horror

Yeah, well, it’s my blog you’re reading, so you’re getting a horror section. In no particular order (and these are to be watched one after the other, with no breaks in between, not even for a cup of tea, in a marathon of pure fear): The Cube, a high-concept Saw-like thriller with amazing visual effects and great pacing, World War Z, proof that the zombie blockbuster can work if you throw Brad Pitt or Peter Capaldi at it, Lifeforce, a brilliantly dumb Tobe Hooper flick which should be watched when copiously drunk, The Faculty, because Elijah Wood is pretty and meta-horror is fun, Event Horizon, Midnight Meat Train, and, obviously, the seminalAn American Werewolf in Londonfor all you special-effects geeks out there.

If you want…something different

If you follow me on Twitter (and if not, why not, you evil bastard-fix that here), you may have spotted this Tweet on your timeline in the middle of the night a couple of days ago:

So, Attack on Titan might be one of the greatest things I've ever seen.

So you already know what I’ll be recommending. Available either subbed or dubbed, it’s the anime series that smashed through my wall- Neon Genesis Evangelion (which is incredible) proved to me the genre had the potential, and Attack on Titan fulfilled it. A dark, gritty, post-apocalyptic bloodbath, it’s packed with great characters, stunning animation (seriously though) and a twisty-turny plot that will make your head turn inside out at least four times. Again, watch it so I can discuss it with someone. Happy weekend!